


When We Were Young

by captain_k_jones



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-05-30 17:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6433603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_k_jones/pseuds/captain_k_jones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We met a few times when we were 14 and you were my first crush, but now it is 14 years later and my best friend is trying to set me up and hey don’t i know you from somewhere?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was requested FOREVER ago by @villains-happy-ending on tumblr. I am so so sorry this took so long. This is part 1 of 2, I hope to have the second one up by the end of next week. Huge thanks to @o-u-a-timer and @the-lady-of-misthaven for looking this one over! Enjoy!

August 2002.

 

Her tennis shoes scuffed the concrete of the walkway as she followed closely behind her caseworker, Ms. Regina Mills. She didn’t want to be here, she wanted to be anywhere but here. Her head was bent, her eyes focused on the faded red of the converses she’d had for far too long, the ones Regina had bought her almost four foster families ago. They were the only pair she had and she knew she would have to make them last for a lot longer. 

 

Even at fourteen, Emma Swan knew that she didn’t get nice things. She didn’t get the normal things girls her age did. There were no pink tulle prom dresses in her future, no brave nights, or tiaras. Most of the time she was lucky if she got a home cooked meal at night. Sometimes, she was lucky if she even had a warm place to stay. 

 

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she continued to follow Ms. Mills to her newest foster home. It was the 75th one she’d been in since she was left on the side of the road, the third in the past six months and she knew that she wouldn’t be here long. She never was, no matter how much she hoped.

 

And, a part of her still did hope. A part of her still wanted a family, a mom and dad to call her own and maybe a little brother or sister too. She may try her best to hide it, but it was still there in her chest every time she went to a new family. 

 

“Miss Swan.” Regina’s sharp voice rang out and she snapped her head up to meet her gaze. “Stay outside while I go over all the paperwork with the Smiths.” Her eyes ran the length of Emma’s body. “You could use a little sun.”

 

Emma’s head cocked to the side and she stomped her foot in front of her. “I want to go inside, Regina. I don’t  _ want _ to stay out here.”

 

“Then it is a good thing we are not in the business of doing what you want.” Regina deadpanned, a perfectly arched eyebrow raised. “Stay here. I will come get you in a minute.”

 

Emma opened her mouth to complain again, but Regina turned on her heel and walked into the house leaving her behind. Rolling her eyes, she huffed as she sat down on the bottom step of the stoop and looked at her shoes once more. Stupid Regina and her stupid rules. Her caseworker was a lot of things, but nice was never one of them. Sure, Regina made sure Emma had the necessary things to survive, but she didn’t actually  _ care _ about her. No one cared about her. No one...

 

“Hi!” A perky voice interrupted her thoughts and Emma raised her eyes to find a dark haired girl, who looked about her age, standing at the end of the walkway waving. 

 

Tilting her head to the side, Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Who was this girl and why was she talking to her? Why… The girl moved forward until she stood directly in front of Emma. She wore a simple yellow sundress, nicer than any of the clothes Emma had ever owned, and a pair of white sandals. Her hands gripped the edge of the porch. What did this girl want?

 

The girl stuck her hand out. “I’m Belle. I live next door. I saw you sitting all alone and I thought we could…”

 

“BELLE! Bloody hell, where are ya, lass?” A worried voice stopped the girl’s, Belle, from continuing. 

 

Belle rolled her eyes. “Sorry, that’s my brother. He is so annoying. Hold on…” She turned so her back was toward Emma. “Liam.” Belle yelled. “I’m over here at the Smith’s house talking to the new girl they mentioned was coming!” 

 

Emma’s eyes went wide as she bit her lip. Had the Smith’s really told their neighbors she was coming? Like, really? She shook her head. She wasn’t one to make friends easily. In fact, she’d never really had a friend her entire life. She just figured that was normal, given her situation, and was used to it by now. She was used to being alone. 

 

Not even a minute later, there were two boys standing in front of her. One was tall, dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a flannel, and had light brown curly hair. The other was just a little taller than her or Belle. He also wore a pair of jean, but his were paired with a plain black t-shirt. His hair was a little darker than Belle’s and stuck up in all different directions. All three of them had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. 

 

“Belle, you know better than to sneak away without tellin me. What do you think Father would have said?” The taller one said.

 

Belle looked at Emma and rolled her eyes. “I’m not a little girl anymore, Liam. I don’t need you watching out for me all the time. Besides, I was just saying hello to our new neighbor.”

 

It was that moment that the boys seemed to notice Emma sitting on the stoop in front of their sister. Both of their eyes turned in her direction and Emma wanted nothing more than to disappear. She hated being the center of attention, especially when she didn’t know the people.

 

“And does our new neighbor have a name?” The short one asked, an eyebrow cocked as he looked her over. 

 

Emma swallowed, her eyes falling to the ground as she whispered her name. 

 

“I’m afraid we didn’t quite catch that, lass.” Liam spoke, while the three of them stepped forward. 

 

She raised her head and bit her bottom lip. She could do this. “My name is Emma, Emma Swan.”

 

Belle smiled.  "Hi Emma!" She smiled and plopped down on the porch right next to Emma, their shoulders bumping slightly. "It'll be nice to finally have another girl in the neighborhood. I'm always stuck with these two." Belle tilted her head toward the taller of the town boys. "That's Liam." She pointed at him and he gave a little wave.  “And, that’s Killian. We’re twins. We live with our papa across the street.” 

 

Belle pointed to the house across the street and to the right of them, but all Emma could see was Killian. Her cheeks flushed. He was cute, like the cutest boy she’d ever seen and she’d seen a lot of boys because she’d moved around all the time. 

 

“So, want to come over and hang out?” Belle questioned, her eyebrow arched. It must be a family trait.

 

For the first time in her life, Emma found herself wanting to say yes. She wanted to get to know this family who seemed so nice, this family who wasted no time in trying to include her. But, just as she opened her mouth to speak, the door slammed shut behind her. 

 

“Miss Swan.” Regina called from the doorway. “They are ready to meet you.”

 

Belle’s face fell. “Perhaps another time, then.”Emma watched as her potential friend stood up and moved next to her older brother.

 

“It was lovely to meet you, Emma.” Liam smiled in her direction. “We won’t keep you any longer.” He nodded once to Killian, shooting him a look with an arched eyebrow before he and Belle turned. He lead her across the yard, his hand resting on the small of her back and, after a brief pause, Killian followed behind without a word. 

 

Of course, Regina chose that moment to come out. It was like she didn’t even care that, for once, maybe she could make some real friends here. Emma stood up, a frown on her face, and turned toward the door to find Regina looking at her expectantly.

 

“Tick tock, Miss Swan. I do have other children to get to today.” She tapped her watch. 

 

Emma wanted to roll her eyes but didn’t because she knew Regina hated that. It would be best to just hurry…

 

“Oi! Swan!” 

 

Her head pivoted to see Killian running back up the walkway. What the… She turned back around so she could meet him and her heart skipped a beat as he held his hand out to her, a hand that held a single daisy between his fingers. A single flower for her. 

 

Her mouth fell open as she stepped forward, butterflies forming in her stomach. Her hand reached out timidly to take the flower from his fingers and pull it back to her chest. She could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. No one had ever cared enough to give her a flower. Little orphan girls didn’t have such luxuries. 

 

“Welcome to the neighborhood.” He smiled, ducking his head. “Emma.”  He pivoted on his heel quickly, shoving both hands into his pockets while making his way across the street. She didn’t even have time to thank him. 

 

She looked at the flower in her hands, his retreating back, and felt her lips curl. Turning towards Regina, she couldn’t keep her heart for thumping wildly. Her one thought was that maybe this place was going to be different. 

 

Maybe.

***

Hiking her backpack strap over her shoulder once again, Emma sighed and bit her lip. She could feel her heart beating quickly as the panic seemed to settle in her chest. Damnit, why was she so nervous? It wasn’t like this was the first time she’d been the new girl at the school. It wasn’t like this was the first time she had to walk into a new classroom dressed in her scuffed red sneakers and hand-me-downs. It wasn’t like this was the first time she would be pointed at while the whispers of the other kids started.

 

No, at this point she should be an old pro at this. 

 

Shaking her head, she took a deep breath before releasing it and walking through the door of the classroom. Thankfully, the rest of the kids were still busy talking to one another as the bell hadn’t rung for to begin the class. Without anyone noticing her, Emma slid into the desk closest to the door that did not have a name tag on it and scanned the room quickly. 

 

It seemed that Mrs. Nolan preferred bright, primary colors to decorate, but other than that the room looked basically the same as every other classroom she’d been in over the course of her fifteen years. The teacher’s desk, complete with a shiny red apple on the edge, sat in the front of the room and the chalkboard behind it. There were rows and rows of books lining the wall to her right, while the wall to her left was full of windows, and of course the back of the room had some kind of sitting area set up. The desks were arranged in pairs of two down three columns. 

 

Her feet bounced below the desk and she really tried to calm herself. It was just… she  _ hated  _ this. She hated starting in a new house, in a new town, in a new school. She hated being the one everyone looked at, she hated being the one everyone noticed. She hated…

 

Sighing again, she leaned forward to drop her forehead on the cool surface of the desk. It didn’t matter what she hated. More than likely she wouldn’t be in this place long anyway, more than likely she would be gone before the teacher would even remember her name. That was what always happened, there was no reason to believe that this place would be any different. 

 

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she bit the inside of her cheek to try and stop them. There was no reason to believe that these people would actually want her, no one else ever had. No one…

 

“Fancy seein you here, lass.” An accented voice spoke next to her. 

 

She wiped her eyes quickly, attempting to hide the tears, and jerked her head up at the sound. Her green eyes widened quickly at the sight of the boy she met yesterday, of the boy who gave her a single daisy, of  _ Killian _ beside her. Her heart dropped to her stomach. A part of her felt excited that she knew someone in the class, it wasn’t like that happened often, but the other part of her, the part that seemed to be the largest, didn’t understand why he’d approached her. It wasn’t as though they actually knew each other or were actually friends. No, he likely saw her and felt bad for the poor little orphan sitting at the desk all alone. 

 

Well, she didn’t need his pity. She didn’t need  _ anything _ . 

 

Her eyes narrowed in his direction. “Well this is a school and since education is required, it shouldn’t surprise you at all.” She crossed her arms over her chest,  her voice hard. “Why are you talking to me anyway? Don’t you have something better to do than to pity the new kid?”

 

Killian’s eyes widened, both eyebrows arched and he shifted his feet before pointing at the desk. “You’re, uh well, you sat next to my desk.” 

 

Her eyes fell to the desk he pointed to and she felt herself her annoyance deflate. It figured she would pick the desk next to his out of all the desks in the room. His behavior had thrown her off guard yesterday. She hadn’t known what to make of it, what to make of the the boy with the ocean eyes and a a daisy, what to make of his family that seemed so interested in knowing her.

 

So she’d done what she always did and convinced herself that they were just being nice, that they hadn’t really wanted to be her friend, that she had been seeing things when she saw shyness as Killian handed her the flower. And, it seemed, she was right. He hadn’t come over here to talk to her because he wanted to or because he pitied her, he’d come over here because she chose the seat next to his. Nothing more and nothing less. 

 

“Sorry.” She mumbled in his direction before turning away from him and focusing on Mrs. Nolan, who’d just entered the classroom.

 

For a moment, he just stood there. His fingers pulling the hair at the nape of his neck. Then the bell rang and he sat down without a word. 

 

Mrs. Nolan brought the class to attention the same way every other teacher she’d ever had did. Thankfully, she hadn’t required her to stand up and do that stupid introduction crap some teachers liked, instead just introducing Emma herself before asking the students to pull out their calculators to begin working on their equations. 

 

Emma’s fingers gripped her thighs tightly at the mention of a calculator. She didn’t have one. Why would she? She never had anything she needed, she never had…

 

Her eyes lifted as she heard something slide across her desk from Killian’s direction. There, in the middle of her desk, was a blue calculator. She felt her heart speed up as she tilted her head in his direction. He was already looking at her, a comforting smile on his red lips.

 

“Thank you.” She whispered, her hand closing around the object. 

 

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve an extra. Use it whenever you wish. After all, what are friends for?”

 

The way his eyes lit up at the word ‘friends’ had her heart skipping a beat. She knew in that moment she’d misread him. He wasn’t anything like what she’d believed. 

 

She nodded, the corners of her lips lifting into a small thankful smile, which only grew wider as he returned hers with one of his own. Turning to the worksheet Mrs. Nolan had just placed on her desk, she bit down on her lip and tried to lower her expectations. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop the glimmer of hope that rose in her chest.  

 

The hope that this place  _ would _ be different. 

 

* * *

October 2002

 

The rain landed in her eyes and she swiped at her lids fruitlessly. She shouldn’t be surprised that is was raining, pouring actually, as that was her luck this evening. Actually that was just her luck  _ always.  _ The rain mixed will the tears falling from her eyes and... and she should’ve known this would happen. Her arms wrapped around her middle as she rushed from the front gate to the street. She should’ve known that the first two months at her new placement was just a facade. She should’ve known that eventually the truth would come crashing down, the truth that Mr. Smith was an alcoholic who had no trouble putting his wife in her place. 

 

Looking quickly, she ran across the street. The sound of her red shoes hitting the pavement echoed through the sound of the rain hitting the ground. She’d bolted before his attention had turned to her, before he realized there was someone else in the house to take his frustration out on. A hiccup escaped her throat as she reached the other side of the street and she hugged herself tighter. Why was this always happening to her? Why couldn’t she just have a normal placement for once? Why…

 

She pushed the gate to Killian’s yard open and darted in quickly. In the past two months, Killian and Belle had become her best friends, her only friends. They ate lunch together everyday, they walked home after school, they spent every weekend together. Even Liam had become somewhat of a big brother to her. Which was why she couldn’t believe she was doing this, couldn’t believe she was knocking on Killian’s door at midnight hoping for… hoping for what exactly? Maybe that was her problem, maybe she just needed to stop hoping at all. She shook her head. If Killian and Belle, even Liam, could hear her now they would remind her that things happened for a reason, that they would  _ always _ be there for her, that she always had a home with them. 

 

She only hoped they hadn’t been lying. 

 

Her fist rose to pound on the front door. Biting her lip, she shifted her weight from foot to foot and waited. A half of a second later, she saw the light in the living room turn on and heard the lock on the door turn. She sucked in a breath as the door opened to reveal Liam before her. He was dressed in a pair of navy blue pajama pants and a white henley. His head tilted to the side, eyebrows furrowed, as he took her in. 

 

“Emma?” He questioned running his fingers through his curly locks. “What are you…” His features hardened. “Is everything okay, love?”

 

She attempted to release the breath she’d been holding, but it came out as a sob and she shook her head. Liam shoved the screen door open, his hand reached behind her to pull her through the door and she followed willingly. Once she was inside, he shut the door behind her and engaged the lock before turning his attention back on her, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders.

 

“Emma, love. Tell me what’s the matter. Are you hurt? Did something happen?” His eyes, eyes so much like Killian’s, scanned her form likely looking for any injury. 

 

Her breath caught in her throat. She was completely overwhelmed by how much concern he was showing, but how much he obviously cared for this girl he met two months ago. She saw his eyes harden when she didn’t answer his questions, likely assuming the worst. One of his hands moved to cup her cheek and she leaned into him seeking the comfort only a big brother could provide. 

 

“Emma Swan, tell me what the bloody hell is going on. You’re worrying me, lass. Are you hurt?” His murmured the words as his eyes met hers. 

 

She shook her head, her eyes blinking quickly. “No.” She whispered. “No. I’m okay, Liam. I got out of there before he found me.”

 

Liam’s body visibly relaxed as he let out a shaky breath. The room was silent for a moment and she forced herself to calm. She was safe. Liam wouldn’t let anyone hurt her and neither would Mr. Jones when he returned home from work. She was safe. 

 

Footsteps on the stairs pulled her from her thoughts and she whipped her head in their direction to meet the questioning eyes of her best friends. As soon as they saw her, both Killian and Belle stopped in their tracks. In front of her Liam stood and stepped away, satisfied that there was not any immediate danger. 

 

“Emma?” Belle questioned with a head tilt.

 

She ran her fingers through her wet hair. “Hey, guys.” 

 

Killian was the first to move, he ran the rest of the way down the stairs before stopping in the space Liam had just vacated. His eyes examined her face frantically as a hand rose to cup her cheek. His other hand reached out and intertwined their fingers. His blue eyes were a storm as his features shifted from shock to fear before settling on concern. She felt her heart clench as she tried to remain calm and let him figure out that she was in fact okay. 

 

“Emma.” He mumbled, his fingers gripping her tightly. 

 

She opened her mouth to speak, but Belle, who had finally made it down the steps and was standing next to Killian, beat her to it. 

 

“Emma, what are you doing here this late?” Just like Liam and Killian, Belle’s eyes were full of concern. 

 

Biting her lip, she shrugged her shoulders. How do you explain to you best friends that you ran away from home to avoid getting smacked in the face, or worse? How do you explain to the only people who had ever shown any concern for her that her life was so much different from their own? That while they may not be well off, they still had a father who loved them, who would protect them with his life, and she… all she had were the three people in this very room and sometimes she wasn’t even sure she had them. She shook her head. She couldn’t, she couldn’t tell them this, she couldn’t….

 

Her eyes met Killian’s hard ones and a her heart stopped in her chest. He knew. He’d once told her on the way home from school that she was an open book to him, that for some reason he just knew what she was thinking and feeling. Of course she hadn’t believed him at the time. But now, now, looking into his eyes, she knew he hadn’t been lying. 

 

Her eyes shifted back to Belle quickly before finding Killian’s once more. His eyes softened as he squeezed their joined hands and shook his head. Belle didn’t know and he wouldn’t be telling her. The corners of her lips lifted slightly and she pressed her cheek into his palm. Liam and Killian may know the truth, but Belle did not and she didn’t know why that comforted her, but it did. 

 

“Emma?” Belle questioned once more and Emma remembered she hadn’t answered the question. 

 

Killian dropped his hand from her cheek, but their hands remained tangled. She turned toward Belle and opened her mouth to speak, but the words died on her tongue. Thankfully, Liam saw her distress and stepped in. 

 

“Bloody hell, Emma! I’d forgotten that the Smith’s had asked me this morning if you could spend the evening with us. I meant to tell you after you returned home from school. I’m glad you finally figured it out when they’d yet to return home.” He ran his fingers through his locks, his eyes begging her to follow along. 

 

She nodded, a fake smile on her lips. “Yeah. Good thing. Just don’t forget next time Liam.”

 

Liam moved to stand next to her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. “Aye. You have my word, Swan. Never again. Not if I can help it.” He led her over to the couch and Killian followed as he refused to part with her hand.

 

Belle stared at them suspiciously, as if she didn’t believe them - and really who would, it  _ was _ a horrible lie - before she shrugged and sat next to her on the couch. “Li, I’m not tired. Let’s watch tv for a bit?”

 

Liam nodded and turned the tv on to some reruns of _The Simpsons_ before settling into a recliner next to the couch with a blanket. Killian reached behind them and pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over the three of them,  his hand never letting go of her own. After a few minutes, her eyes began to droop and her head lolled to the side landing on Killian’s shoulder.  She felt his lips press into her hair, but she didn’t say anything. 

 

She also didn’t say anything when he took a deep breath and spoke for the first time since she saw him on the steps, whispering into her hair. “You’re safe, Swan. Papa will protect you. Liam will protect you.  _ I _ will protect you. I’ll never stop protecting you.”

 

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She’d never felt the way she felt right now, she’d never felt safe or loved or  _ anything. _ But right now, sandwiched between her best friends, her head on Killian’s shoulder and her hand held in his between them, with Liam keeping watch in the chair next to them, she couldn’t help but feel those things.

 

In that moment, she knew this place  _ was _ different. 

 

* * *

December 2002

 

The snow crunched under her feet as she made her way up the steps to the porch of the Jones’ house. Christmas was right around the corner and the weather had definitely caught on. It was early morning and the wind was sharper than usual so she pulled her jacket, the light summer one Regina had gotten her seven months ago, tighter around her in an effort to stave off the cold. 

 

Reaching the door, she wasn’t surprised to find the it unlocked. Since coming home from work to find his three children and Emma asleep in the living room, Brennan Jones had taken to leaving the door unlocked just in case she needed a place to go. He had also taken to making sure she stayed with them for dinner each evening and breakfast each morning before school. At this point she may as well live with them, not that the Smith’s noticed. Not that anyone noticed actually. 

 

Shutting the door behind her, she shrugged out of her jacket and placed it on the floor next to the door. Making her way into the kitchen, she found the entire family at the table eating their various breakfasts. Between Killian and Liam there was an empty seat with her blueberry Poptarts waiting for her on a plate, just as there was every morning, and she wasted no time before sitting in the seat.

 

“Mornin everyone.” She took a bite of her Poptart with smile. 

 

“Morning, Ems!” Belle said while taking another bite of her oatmeal.

 

Liam reached over and ruffled her hair. “Good morning, lass. How was your evening?” 

 

He cocked his eyebrow in her direction and she knew there was more to his question than he let on. He wanted to make sure nothing had happened while he’d been unable to keep his watch over her. Since that first night, Liam had taken it upon himself to become her personal bodyguard, Killian and Brennan had too for that matter. They walked her home everyday after dinner making her to glare at Mr. Smith until she was safely in in the house, they picked her up every morning if she didn’t arrive at their house by a certain time. Belle had figured out what was going on about a week after she stayed the night the first time, it was hard to keep the secret when her brothers and father made such a point of protecting her.

 

At first, she had no idea how to handle their behavior and she’d often pushed back. In her experience, leaning on others was a weakness and she couldn’t afford to be weak. Yet somehow, in the past two months, they’d worked their way past her walls and … and she trusted them. For the first time in her life, she had people she trusted and she didn’t know how to deal with that. But, she was trying and Killian played a huge part in that. 

 

Killian’s hand over hers pulled her from her thoughts and she quickly realized there were three sets of eyes focused on her, three sets of worried eyes. She could feel the tension in the room rise. They must have jumped to the wrong conclusion when she hadn’t answered right away. 

 

“Emma…” He whispered, his voice hard and tight. “What happened?”

 

She shook her head quickly. “Nothing! Sorry, I was just thinking. Nothing happened. Nothing. I promise. I’m fine.” A collective sigh could be heard throughout the kitchen as they all relaxed and she ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you all. I didn’t mean…”

 

“Emma…” Brennan sat his paper on the table. “It is fine, lass. The boys worry, Belle worries, I worry. You’d let us know if something were amiss, aye?”

 

She nodded her head quickly. “Yes.” She whispered before looking from Belle, to Liam, to Killian. “I promise.”

 

“Good.” He said. “Now, finish your breakfast or you’ll all be late.” 

 

The rest of the meal was finished quickly and in silence. Once they were all finished they worked collectively to clear the table before moving into the living room to put on their jackets. Killian and Liam eyed her flimsy coat while she shoved her arms through the sleeves and she felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment. 

 

“Love.” Killian spoke quietly and made his way to the closet. “It is much too cold for that coat.”

 

“I’m fine, Killian.” She waved him off. “I’ve been through worse.”

 

He opened the door to the closet and pulled out another coat. “Emma, the coat you have is barely usable. You’ll get sick.”

 

It was the pity in his eyes that did it. Suddenly, it was all too much. Their concern, their friendship, the way they treated her as if they were a family, all of it was too much. She’d never had this, never had a group of people who cared, and there was a reason for that. No one wanted her, no one wanted the girl they found on the side of the road, and why should they be any different? Eventually, they too would realize that they didn’t want her, just like the Swans did, and what would happen to her then? She would be alone, like always, and when that happened she would have to take care of herself. 

 

“I said I was fine, Killian.” She turned and yanked the front door open. “I can take care of myself.” She mumbled as she walked through the door, leaving her friends behind.

 

The moment she stepped off the porch the wind blew and cut her to the bone, but she ignored it. She didn’t want them to know that Killian had been right. She should’ve taken the jacket he had offered. It was just… Just, sometimes she didn’t know how to act with them. Sure, they had never made any indication that she was unwanted there. They had never made her feel less than either. But a part of her was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, apart of her would always be waiting on the other shoe to drop. Not to mention, she hated relying on people because people always let her down and even though she really thought they were different, sometimes she was scared to take the chance. Sometimes….

 

A hand clasped her shoulder just as she made it through the gate. “Swan, stop.”

 

Of course he would follow her. “Killian, leave me alone. I’m a big girl. I do not need your help or you pity.”

 

Killian moved to stand in front of her, his thumbs looped in his belt. “You think I pity you, Emma, you think I truly believe you could not handle yourself? Lass, you are the toughest girl I’ve ever met.”

 

She inclined her head and waved her arm in the air. “Oh shove it Killian, I saw it in your eyes. I saw the way you looked at me. Poor little orphan girl who doesn’t even own a proper winter coat.”

 

Killian stepped into her space and licked his lips. “What you saw in there, Emma Swan, was concern. I was worried about you, about you getting sick. Bloody hell, what kind of boyfriend would I be….”

 

Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. All of her previous anger drained out of her as she focused on the one word she had never expected to hear. Boyfriend. He said he was her boyfriend. She ran her hand through her locks. When had… sure they were close and they held hands a lot and they spent all their time together and she trusted him more than she’d ever trusted anyone and… and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to be Killian Jones’ girlfriend. She wanted nothing more than...

 

“Emma. Swan, are you even listening any longer lass?” Killian brushed his thumb across her cheek, his way of getting her attention. 

 

Her eyes focused on his and she licked her lips. “Did you mean it?”

 

His eyebrow arched. “That I was worried about you catching your death? Aye, of course.”

 

She shook her head, her hand darting out to find his. “No. Did you mean it when you said boyfriend. I don’t remember you asking.” 

 

She felt the grip on her hand tighten and his free hand lifted to pull at the hair behind his ear. “Bloody hell. I didn’t mean, I mean I do, but I didn’t…” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I meant to officially ask you months ago, but I was frightened you thought of me only as a friend. Albeit a close friend, but a friend nonetheless.”

 

She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. “Ask me now.” 

 

Her heart was beating rapidly, her palms sweaty. Killian nodded to himself, his eyes blinking quickly. Why were they both so nervous? Perhaps it was because three minutes ago she’d stormed out of the house after snapping at him or perhaps it was because they had been playing this game for months. Perhaps…

 

“Emma Swan, will you be my girlfriend?” He murmured.

 

She could feel his breath on her lips. “Yes.” She surged forward and pressed her lips to his quickly before pulling away. “Yes.”

 

Behind them, she could hear Liam and Belle’s shouts of joy, she could hear Brennan chuckle in happiness, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was the way Killian smiled at her, as if she were the entire world, all that mattered was the way they swayed back and forth, as if they never wanted to let go of each other, all that mattered was the way Killian whispered her name over and over, as if it were the only word he ever wished to say again. 

 

She giggled, her lips grinning widely. She never expected this. Never expected to come to this placement and find these people, this family, to find Killian. She never expected that, for the first time in her life, she would be wanted by not just one person, but four. In the past four months, Killian (and Brennan, and Belle, and Liam) had shown her that sometimes people were different, that sometimes people could be good.

 

They’d shown her that not only was this place different, but she could be too. 

 

* * *

February 2003

 

The hallway was empty as she made her way down it, all of the classroom doors were shut, the teachers delivering their lectures.  Her and Killian had only been at school for ten minutes before her name had been announced over the speaker telling her to report to the office. Without stopping at her locker, she’d walked Killian to their first period and left with a promise to return as quickly as possible. 

 

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she couldn’t stop the smile that formed at the thought of Killian. It had been two months, two months of holding hands, of sneaking kisses, of movie nights and dates. It had been two months since they had become a them. And, they had been the best two months of her life. Warmth spread through her body. She’d never thought she could be this happy, be this content. She never knew that she would find a true friend in Belle, that Liam would be like the big brother she’d always wanted, or that Brennan would show her that it was never too late to have a father figure. 

 

She never knew how much Killian would come to mean to her. He made her feel like she was the most beautiful girl in the world, helped her forget that she was just a lonely lost girl. Being with Killian reminded her that she was worth something. He made her smile and laugh. He made her happy.

 

She bit her tongue to keep herself from smiling even wider. Happiness was something all too rare in her life, but lately it was all she was feeling. Lately…. The person in front of her stopped her progression forward, pulling her from her happy thoughts of Killian. 

 

Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of Regina standing in front of the door to the office. Why was she here? Their check in wasn’t for another two weeks and she’d been doing well. She hadn’t been getting in trouble, she’s been going to school and getting good grades. There was no reason for Regina to be here, unless…. Her eyes widened, a sob catching in her throat as her hand covered her open mouth. No. No no no. Not now. 

 

“Regina?” She choked the question out, hoping that she was wrong, hoping that this was just an early check up. 

 

Regina’s gaze locked on her form with a roll of her eyes. “There you are, Miss Swan. Hurry up. Time to go.”

 

Pain rippled through her chest as tears pricked her eyes. “Go? I don’t… I don’t understand. I don’t want to go. Please, Regina.” She swiped at her eyes as the tears fell to her cheeks. “Regina, I like it here. I’ve…” She rushed forward, stopping right in front of her caseworker’s form. “Regina.” She begged. “Regina, I’ve found a family here. A home. Please don’t take that away from me.” Her arms hugged her middle and her shoulders shook from the weight of what was happening, as the weight of leaving Killian, settled over her. “Please don’t take  _ him _ from me.”

 

Regina waved her hand in the air with exasperation. “I simply do not have time for this, Miss Swan. Mr. Smith has been taken into custody and Mrs. Smith is in the hospital. I need to get you to your next placement before the end of the night and it’s a three hour drive to get there. Now, move.”

 

This time she was unable to hold back the sob, unable to keep herself in check. Her face crumpled as she struggled to breathe, struggled to to even hold herself upright. This couldn’t be happening. Not  now, not when she’d finally found them, finally found the family she’d always wanted. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. Tears poured out of her lids and streamed down her cheeks. She wanted nothing more than to find Killian and wrap herself in his arms and forget that she’d even chosen to wake up today. 

 

She looked up to the ceiling, swallowing yet another sob before returning her gaze to Regina. “Please, Regina.” She whimpered. “Please don’t do this.”

 

Regina stepped forward as compassion filled her eyes, her arm reached up to clasp Emma’s shaking shoulder. “I am sorry, Miss Swan. I do not, however, have a choice in this matter. We must go and we need to leave now.”

 

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, Emma ran her fingers through her hair while nodding. Regina was right, there was nothing she could do. There was nothing anyone could do. She knew this. She’d lived in the system long enough. Besides this was her fault. She’d been stupid to think that this place could be different, that Killian and his family could make it different. She’d been stupid to think that she could have been happy. 

 

“Okay.” She muttered, biting the inside of her cheek. She would leave with Regina, it wasn’t like she had much of a choice anyway, but she wanted to say goodbye to Killian first. She didn’t want him to worry, she didn’t want Liam or Belle or Brennan to worry either. Inhaling deeply, she attempted to soothe the despair in her heart, to repair the hole that was already forming. “Okay, I understand. It’s just…” She paused, her eyes closing as she pictured Killian’s face, pictured his smile and his laugh. More tears fell from her eyes as she attempted to form the words to explain to Regina what she wanted, needed, to do.

 

“Miss Swan.” Regina’s sharp voice broke out. “I am very sorry, but we must go.”

 

Regina’s hand reached out to grip her elbow and Emma yanked on it quickly, her features turning hard. “I said I would go Regina, but please  _ please _ let me say goodbye.” Her fingernails dug into the skin of her arm where her hands clenched. “Please.”

 

“I’m sorry, Miss Swan.” Regina sighed, her red lips forming a thin line. “We simply do not have time. Now, please do not make this harder than it must be. We need to go.”

 

A wail fell from her mouth and it felt like her heart was breaking into a million pieces, into a million tiny pieces that would never be repaired again. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The walls of the hallway were closing in and she was helpless to stop them, just like she was helpless to stop Regina from making her leave. 

 

Regina walked forward and took her by the elbow once more, leading her from the building as quickly as she possibly could without causing a scene. Tears ran down her face the whole walk to the car, but it wasn’t until she was in the car, away from the prying eyes of her classmates, that her control snapped. 

 

Emptiness settled into her chest as her body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. She couldn’t see through the tears falling from her eyes as she hunched over herself in the backseat of the car. All she could think about was Killian. Would he be upset? Would he miss her? Would he move on? Her chest heaved as she tried to breathe through her break down. She pressed her fingers into her scalp before grasping the hair and pulling. She missed them already. She missed Belle’s friendly smile and how she was always there to talk to, she missed Brennan’s unwavering love for a girl who wasn’t his own, she missed the way Liam ruffled her hair and made her feel like no one would ever hurt her again.

 

But most of all she missed Killian.

 

She missed his hand in hers, always there to remind her that he wasn’t going anywhere, she missed the way his eyes lit up the moment they landed on her form, she missed the way his fingers twirled the ends of her hair as they watched a movie with his siblings. But most of all she missed they way he made her feel like there was nothing in this world she couldn’t overcome, like she wasn’t defined by her past but by the future that only she could decide. 

 

She lifted her head and press her face against the window of the door and watched as they reached the town limits, as they passed the sign that welcomed those into the town. 

 

Storybrooke, Maine.

 

The town that could’ve been different, the town that  _ was _ different.

 

Until it wasn’t, until it was just like every other town she’d ever been too.

 

(She didn’t even get to say goodbye.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Real life has been a little crazy lately and I haven't had much time to actually write. I hope you all enjoy this!
> 
> Also, huge thanks to o-u-a-timer and the-lady-of-misthaven for beta'ing this for me! You girls are awesome!

**January 2016. 14 years later.**

 

Emma Swan sighed, the back of her head hitting the hallway wall behind her as her fingers carded quickly through her long locks. Her body sagged against the wall and she closed her eyes for just a moment, just a single moment to savor the peace that had finally settled over her apartment. 

 

She shook her head back and forth, the ends of her hair shifting over her shoulders. Her hand rose, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. She’d always known that raising her son on her own was going to be hard. She’d known it from the moment she’d woken up in the middle of the night to find Neal gone, a letter on the pillow where his head should’ve been. She’d been seven months pregnant, seven months pregnant and half-way through her the last year of her criminal justice degree at University of Boston. 

 

She should’ve known it was going to happen, should’ve known he was going to leave. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that nothing ever worked out for Emma Swan. Especially love. She hadn’t been in love since…. Well since him, since that town, since that family. She should’ve known Neal, of all people, would not have been the one to be different. 

 

Lifting herself from the wall, she made her way down the hallway toward the living room. Her eyes widened at the mess Henry had left for her. She loved her three-year-old dearly, would do anything in the world for him, but she really couldn’t wait until he was able to clean up after himself. Groaning she fell to her knees and began pulling toys to her so she could put them in his toy box. There were more of them than usual, likely due to the fact that he’d been grumpy and fussy all day and she’d tried every toy they had in the house to calm him, not that it had actually worked. No, it had been one of those days. The kind of day where if you picked him up, he wanted down; if you put him down, he wanted up; if you had the car, he wanted the giraffe; and if you had the giraffe, he wanted the car. Nothing had made him happy, well nothing until she’d put Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on and he’d fallen asleep on the couch. 

 

Of course it would have been Mickey that finally calmed him. Damn mouse always did the trick. 

 

The turning of the door handle caused her to pause, her hand mid-air holding yet another Hot Wheel, and turn her head to the door of her apartment. Other than herself, there were only three other people with a key: Ruby, David, or Mary Margaret. She’d met David and Mary Margaret, or Snow as she was nicknamed because she looked so much like the Disney princess, when her and Neal had moved into the building five years ago. It hadn’t taken long for the couple to worm their way into her life and when they had found out that Neal had left, they had taken it upon themselves to make sure she was taken care of. Ruby was a similar story. She worked with Snow at Enchanted Marketing, the two woman having known each other for years, and when she’d met Emma they’d hit it off immediately. 

 

Speaking of Ruby, her lips curled into a smile at the telltale dark hair of her friend as she stepped into the apartment. Not that she was surprised, it was a very rare that she went a single night without one of her friends coming over to see her.

 

They were a family, the five of them. A family very reminiscent of the one she’d had when she was fourteen, of the one she’d lost. 

 

“Emma Swan!” Ruby shrieked, her eyes wide, as she shut the door and focused her attention on Emma. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

 

Her eyebrows furrowed, the features on her face shifting in surprise at Ruby’s outburst. Rolling her eyes, she picked up yet another one of Henry’s toys. “Seriously? What the hell does it look like I am doing? I’m picking up after the three-year-old monster that replaced my son today.”

 

“I can see that, Em. What I mean is... Why are you not getting ready for your date?” 

 

Her hand stopped in midair. “Date? What are you…” Her words trailed off as her eyes widened in realization.  Her head fell to the right ever so slightly as she bit her lip. Shit. She’d forgotten. After the craziness that was her day, she’d totally forgotten that she’d finally given into Ruby and Snow’s requests and allowed them to set her up on a blind date with the new guy at Enchanted Marketing.  

  
  


Normally, she wasn’t one to date, especially after the Neal fiasco. In fact, since Neal had left her, she’d only been on one date. It had been with the guy named Walsh and he’d spent the entire time talking about monkeys. Needless to say, there had not been a second date and after, she’d decided to focus her energy on work and Henry.

 

It was just…. Snow and Ruby had been bugging her for weeks about this guy. This guy who they refused to tell her the name of.  _ What fun is that, Emma? It’s a blind date! If we tell you then you will look up his name on the agency’s website and see his picture.  _ This guy who Ruby assured her was unbelievably hot and totally perfect for her.  _ Seriously Em, if I wasn’t with Mulan and into girls, I would totally be hitting that _ . This guy who Snow said was a complete gentlemen.  _ He made me wait inside while he made four trips back and forth to my car to get the new Snapple campaign! In. The. Rain. Emma, David doesn’t even do that for me.  _

 

So, even though she hadn’t been looking to start anything serious, she’d actually been really looking forward to the date. 

 

And, now she’d forgotten. Story of her life. 

 

Standing quickly, she met her friend’s gaze. “Crap, Ruby. I totally...”

 

“We don’t have time for that, Swan.” Ruby rushed forward, her fingers closing around her wrist as she turned and tugged Emma toward her bedroom. “He’s going to meet you at the restaurant at nine and it is only eight. If we hurry, I may have just enough time to transform you from ‘the mommy next door’ into the beautiful goddess we both know you are.”

 

A smile tugged at her lips as she allowed Ruby to drag her past Henry’s room and down the rest of the hallway. Reaching her bedroom, Ruby sat her on the bed before she turned and began to shift through her closet, pulling out random dresses for her to try on. 

 

Perhaps her night wasn’t ruined after all.

 

* * *

 

Emma burrowed her nose further into her red scarf as the wind whipped wildly around her. Her leather gloved hands curled into fists as she wound her arms tighter around her middle, in an attempt to create more heat than her black peacoat was providing, and walked quickly toward the restaurant. Currently, she was only five minutes late. She would have been on time, but there had been no parking close to the restaurant and she’d had to park two blocks away. Which would have been fine had it not been below freezing and snowing, but it was and now she was cold. 

 

It didn’t help that Ruby had insisted she wear a dress. A little black number that stopped about mid-thigh, paired with black tights, a red scarf, and some red stilettos. She looked hot, there was no denying that. It  just hadn’t been her first choice of outfit given the weather in Boston. She would have much preferred a nice pair of black pants and boots. 

 

She shook her head. It didn’t matter what she wanted, she knew better than to argue with Ruby when it came to fashion. Her friend won every time and this would have been no different. Her eyes lifted from the pavement, where she was trying to make sure she didn’t fall, to take in the sight of the restaurant in front of her and she let out a sigh. 

 

Almost there. Just another minute or so and she would be safely tucked in the warmth that the building had to offer. Her gaze fell on the single person waiting in front of the entrance and she bit her lip. She couldn’t see his face as he was staring out in the direction of the street, but she could see that his hair was dark, a disheveled mess that the wind had sticking up on all different directions. His hair led to a chiseled jaw line, one that was covered in that three day old scruff that had always been her weakness. The collar of his black motorcycle jacket was popped, likely to guard him against the cold, and he was holding a single red rose in his gloved hands. 

 

Her heart quickened as the corners of her lips curled into a smile. She had no doubt in her mind that this was her date and holy fuck, Ruby had been right. He  _ was _ insanely hot. She sped up, intending to get to him faster, and quickly did a mental check on her appearance. Her hair would need a little tending to, but other than that she looked just as great as when she’d left Ruby at the apartment. 

 

Reaching him, she twisted her hands in front of her. “You wouldn’t by chance be waiting on a blind date set up through Ruby Lucas would you?”

 

He turned his body toward her, a smile playing on his lips as a hand reached up to comb through his hair. She was struck by how oddly familiar the action was, how oddly familiar the way his arm rose and brushed his hair back to the right before tucking a bit of it behind his ear was, but before she had time to consider the reason she was distracted by the way his eyes, his cobalt eyes, widened in surprise. 

 

“ _ Emma _ ?” Her name of his lips was full of surprise and she found herself tilting her head in confusion.

 

How did he know her name? Hadn’t Ruby…

 

He stepped forward and she was shocked when she didn’t feel the urge to step back away from him, like she normally would when someone was invading her space, but instead felt abnormally at ease. It was a weird feeling, being completely comfortable around someone she’d just met. Although, it wasn’t something she’d never felt before.

 

Nodding her head, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled. “Yep, That’s me. Emma. Emma Swan, actually.”

 

The grin that took over his face was large, his eyes crinkling at the corners from the size of it, and he shook his head. “Bloody hell, Emma Swan. I truly cannot…”

 

His voice was cut off by her phone ringing in her pocket. Frowning, she held up a finger and  pulled the phone out to see Ruby’s name on the screen. 

 

Her eyes darted to her date and she gave him a small smile. “Just a minute, it’s Ruby. She’s watching my son.”

 

Turning quickly so she could face away from him, she placed the phone to her ear. “Ruby? What’s up?”

 

“Emma?” Ruby questioned over the line before continuing. “I am so so sorry to call. I mean I know you are on a date, but….”

 

She rolled her eyes and interrupted. “Ruby it is not a big deal. Just tell me why you called.”

 

She heard her sigh over the line. “Henry woke up and, well, I am pretty sure he’s running a fever. Like a really high one. It is not that I can’t handle it, but he’s really grumpy and nothing I do is calming him. I didn’t…”

 

Panic seized her chest. She needed to get home. Now. The last time Henry ran a fever it got so high he had to spend three nights in the hospital. She couldn’t risk a repeat. Turning to her date, she placed her hand over the speaker. 

 

“I’m sorry. It’s my kid, he’s sick. I have to go.” The words rushed out of her lips quickly. 

 

He ran his hand through his hair. “Emma, just give me a moment.  _ Please. _ ”

 

She shook her head. “I’m sorry I have to go.”

 

Without waiting on his response, she turned and put the phone back up to her ear. “Ruby, I am on my way.”

 

Hanging up, she rushed down the sidewalk as quickly as her shoes would allow. She heard her date call out for her once more, but she ignored him. She was a mother and her kid was more important, he had to understand that or it wouldn’t have worked anyway. He had to understand that she didn’t have the luxury of relying on someone else to take care of her kid. 

 

It was all on her, it has always all been on her. Ruby, Snow, and David helped when they could, but at the end of the day… She was in this alone.

 

She’d been in this alone since she’d left Storybrooke, and Killian Jones, behind.

 

* * *

 

Shifting on the chair so her feet were more securely beneath her, Emma glanced across the table to smile at Henry eating his pancakes in his chair. His fever had finally broke early this morning, around three in the morning to be exact. She’d never been so relieved to see her baby boy finally,  _ finally,  _ snuggle into his blankets and fall into a peaceful sleep. Although, his late night hadn’t resulted in a lie-in this morning. Nope, he’d been up right at the crack of dawn as if he hadn’t spent the entirety of yesterday grumpy and sick. 

 

Shaking her head, she stifled a laugh as Henry attempted, and failed, to spear a pancake with his fork. She still didn’t know why he’d run a fever, so her plan was to keep an eye on him over the weekend to make sure he truly was on the mend. Until then, she wanted nothing more than to curl on the couch and watch some Mickey Mouse with him. 

 

Her only regret was that she’d had to cancel her date at the last minute. Ruby hadn’t been lying when she said he was hot. Not to mention his eyes, eyes that reminded her of something. Something she couldn’t quite place, but it was something that  made her feel… at home. She bit her lip, her head inclining. How odd was it that his eyes made her feel safe? It wasn’t like she’d met this person before, but, now that she thought about it, his entire presence made her feel at ease. And the way he said her name, a name Ruby had obviously given even though she’d claimed not to have, was full of shock and awe. It was almost as though they knew each other. But they didn’t. They couldn’t have.  

 

The one thing she did know, however, was that he was cute. She had only had a moment to take a look, but he was definitely one of the more good looking men she’d ever seen. Which was more evidence for why it sucked that she’d had to bail. Maybe she’d call Ruby or Snow later and see if she could get his name and number to reschedule. 

 

That is, after she spent the morning hanging out with her favorite toddler. Speaking of which… Henry shot her a toothy grin from across the table, syrup dripping down his chin as he shoved more pancakes in his mouth. She shook her head, another smile forming on her face. Sometimes she still marveled that she’d created this perfect kid. For a lost little girl, she’d at least accomplished  _ something _ in her life. 

 

Standing up, she grabbed her plate from the table and made her way to the kitchen. The faster she cleaned up from breakfast the quicker her and Henry could get on with their lazy day. She’d just turned the kitchen sink on, her hands moving to place her plate underneath, when a knock sounded on her front door. 

 

Tugging her lip into her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed as she wondered who could possibly need her this early. Shutting off the water, she stifled a laugh as she passed Henry, his hair now sticking up every which direction from the syrup, and made her way to the front of the apartment. At the door, she lifted onto her tiptoes to look out of the peep hole and gasped at what she saw. 

 

It was her date. Her date from last night. How…

 

Her heart raced in her chest, her hands coming up to smooth down what she was sure was bedhead. Her eyes drifted over her pajamas, a simple white t-shirt and red plaid flannel pajamas, just as another knock sounded on the door. She didn’t have time to change, time to make herself look more presentable. He was here and he was waiting. 

 

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and was once again met with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Well, maybe not  _ ever _ . Glancing at the floor, she shook her head once more. Now was not the time to think about a boy from fourteen years ago, a boy she would likely never see a again, a boy who….

 

“Emma.” His words were a mere whisper, pulling her from her thoughts, as she lifted her gaze.

 

Her heart skipped a beat. The way he said her name, it was… Her eyes narrowed as she studied his features closely. His cerulean eyes. His dark, disheveled hair. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. Her head inclined ever so slightly as she took in the man shifting nervously in front of her. His eyes stayed locked on her form as he exhaled loudly, his hand raising to tug at the nape of his neck.

 

“ _ Emma. _ ” He murmured once more, his voice almost sounding desperate.

 

She tilted her head further to the side. No, he didn’t sound desperate, he sounded… hopeful. The way he said her name… He stepped forward, his features shifting into a look she had seen before, into a look that was  _ familiar. _

 

Her stomach dropped, a gasp escaping her lips. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be, but somehow… Somehow, her heart knew. 

 

She took in the man in front of her suddenly able to see the boy he used to be. He was taller, all broad shoulders and toned arms. His face had lost that baby look, the lines of his cheeks defined and his chin chiseled, but his scar was still there. The one he’d gotten from his first attempt at shaving when he was ten. 

 

Her hand came up to cover her mouth as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her name. She’d heard her name spoken that way a million different times, spoken like it was the most important word to leave his lips, like it was the only word he ever wished to say again. 

 

“Killian.” Her voice broke at the end of his name, a sob erupting from her lips as the tears finally fell from her lids.

 

She was shocked to find his eyes still full of the love and admiration that had always seen there. The same love and admiration that she used to take comfort in. She stepped forward, her arms rising so her fingertips could brush the leather of his jacket and once she did, once she felt the fabric beneath her fingers, she knew it wasn’t a dream. He was really here, he was really standing in front of her after all these years.

 

“Emma.” Her name was a broken murmur as he lurched forward and pulled her into him, his arms wrapping around her middle and his nose burying itself in her hair. She tucked her head beneath his chin, he’d always been taller than her but now more so, and closed her eyes. 

 

There were so many questions she wanted to ask him, so many things she wanted to tell him, but for now she was content to simply enjoy the feeling of his arms around her once more, the feeling of finally,  _ finally _ , feeling like a part of her broken heart was back in place. So, she didn’t move. She stayed like that, wrapped in his arms as they swayed gently back and forth. 

 

A few moments later, she felt him place a light kiss atop her head before he pulled back to look into her eyes. “Bloody hell. I simply cannot believe that this is truly you, Emma. I never once expected for you to…” He paused, looking up to the ceiling and swallowing hard before continuing. “To know that you’ve been living in the same city as I all this time, that you’ve been right here all along, under my very nose, and I’ve never once found you. How is this even possible? How?”

 

She could see the frustrated tears forming in his eyes and she reached up to cup his cheek, her thumb brushing it gently. He leaned forward, his nose falling into the crook of her neck, and she threaded her fingers through the hair on the back of his head. 

 

She knew exactly what he was feeling because a part of her felt it too. How had she not realized who he was last night? How could she have possibly missed it? She leaned her head against his as more tears fell onto her cheeks. Why hadn’t Ruby just told her his name?

 

“Momma, I done!” Henry broke in, pulling her from her thoughts. “Momma, want down.”

 

Pulling away, she wiped her eyes quickly before meeting his gaze. Like her, he had tear tracks on his cheeks. She gave him a small smile, one he returned quickly, and reached up to wipe a stray tear from his eyes. 

 

“That’s Henry.” She whispered, unsure if Ruby and Snow had mentioned her son in great detail. “He’s my son.”

 

He nodded, shifting closer to her still. “Aye. The reason you needed to leave in such a haste last night. Ruby and Snow have mentioned him several times. He’s feeling better, I gather?”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Better is putting it lightly. He was up at the crack of dawn ready to go.”

 

A laugh escaped his lips as his head tilted backward slightly. “Aye. Most children are like that.”

 

“Really?” She questioned with an arched brow. “And how would you know that?”

 

He shrugged his shoulders. “Liam and Belle. Seems having two nephews and a niece makes one a bit knowledgeable about children.”

 

Her heart swelled at the mention of his family, a family that had once been her lifeline, a family that had once been her family. It was nice to know that things had turned out well for the other Jones siblings. 

 

“Momma!” Henry cried once more from inside the apartment causing Killian to laugh again. 

 

“Seems the lad is requiring some assistance, love.” He broke in, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “May I? I’d love to get to know the lad if it is okay with you.” He tilted his head in the direction of Henry’s voice. 

 

She didn’t even try to hide the surprise in her eyes, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. “Really? Are you sure you want to? I mean, I know you likely...”

 

“Love.” He interrupted, a smile tugging at his lips. “Our mutual friends, Ms. Lucas and Mrs. Nolan, made it abundantly clear that you and the lad are a package deal. I realize we have much to discuss, much to catch up on. For now, please know that the lad is a part of you and there is no possible way I could not lov-” He paused, clearing his throat as his arm rose to yank on the hair at his nape nervously. “Well, that is….”

 

She cupped his cheek, her eyes softening as she gently stroked it with her thumb. What he said, it should’ve made her want to run. It should’ve made her want to get as far away from him as possible, to get away from this guy who literally just walked back into her life after fourteen years, but it didn’t. 

 

Killian Jones wasn’t just any guy to her. Things had always been easier for them, more natural. They had history. A history that had included first love and family and despite how often she’d tried, she had never forgotten Killian. She had never forgotten how he made her feel and she had never, not once, stopped loving him. 

 

Not for a single second. 

 

And, given what he’d almost just said, it seemed he may still feel the same. He was right, they had a lot they needed to talk about, but for now his almost slip up was enough for her to know they would be okay, that they would make it work this time. 

 

Smiling, she nodded her head. “I know, Killian. I  _ know. _ ”

 

He laughed, his forehead moving to rest on hers. “Emma…”

 

“Momma! Down!” Henry broke in once more, causing them both to giggle. 

 

Pulling back, she jerked her head toward the interior of her home. “What do you say, Jones. Ready to meet the most important person in my life?”

 

He nodded, his eyes bright with disbelief and laced their fingers together. “Aye, love. I’d like nothing more.”

 

Turning, she yanked on their joined hands to pull him inside the apartment, the door shutting quietly behind him. Hours later, after a long talk while Henry napped, she sat on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands watching Killian on the floor playing with her son. His head lifted, his gaze catching  hers and she couldn’t help the way her lips formed a smile. Her heart was filled with happiness at the sight of him in her home, as the sight of him of next to Henry. 

 

She’d known all those years ago that what they shared was something special, something rare. She remembered thinking that the town was what was different, but she was wrong. It wasn’t the town at all. 

 

It was Killian, it had  _ always  _ been Killian. 

 

Catching his gaze once more, she sipped on her drink in an attempt to hide her smile. Shaking his head, he crawled away from Henry toward her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Placing his hands on her blanket covered legs, he hauled himself up onto the couch and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her gently, without spilling her drink, into his chest. As soon as she was settled, he placed a light kiss on the crown of her head before resting his cheek there. 

 

“Emma?” He whispered into her locks.

 

She grinned, tilting her head to meet his gaze. “Hmm?”

 

“I’m afraid I must ask you a question, lass.” He twirled her hair between to fingers.

 

“Really, what is it?”

 

He dropped her hair, his face becoming very serious. “I was devastated when they took you.” His head shook as his eyes fell to the couch. “I thought I would never see you again and that, that broke me.” He’d all but whispered the last words which caused her to reach out to link their fingers.

 

“I know. It was the same for me. I wanted nothing more than to stay, but Regina made me leave and she took me so far away from you there was no way to get back.” She squeezed his hand in hers and his eyes lifted once more.

 

He gave her a small smile. His voice was solemn as he continued, full of the sadness he’d felt, and still felt, from their separation. “I convinced myself that I would never see you again in an attempt to move on with my life, but it never worked. I never forgot you.” His eyes hardened now, his tone full of conviction for his words. “I never stopped thinking of you, and I never stopped loving you.”

 

She gasped out loud when she heard him say he loved her. After all this time it seemed improbable and, yet, she could feel it within herself as well. She could feel it deep within her very being that she’d never truly let Killian Jones go and she never would. He’d been her first love, the boy she’d compared all others to, and her heart still knew that he was the one, just like it had known when she was fourteen years old.

 

“Killian.” She started, only to have him place a single finger on her lips with a shake of his head. 

 

“Let me finish, love.” He brushed her hair back, his hand coming to rest right over her heart.  “When we were young, we had something amazing, something pure and true, and I’d like nothing more that to try to have that with you once again. I’d like nothing more than to be apart of your and Henry’s lives, that is if you still want me.”

 

As his words sank in, she did not even give herself a second to rethink how she felt. Not one single moment. Nodding quickly, she surged upward, her lips meeting his in a gently kiss. His arms circled her body, his hands tangling themselves in her hair. Mindful of her cup, she reached her free hand up to cup his cheek as she opened her lips slightly and sighed. 

 

He pulled away first, a goofy grin on his face while a single eyebrow wagged in her direction. “Bloody hell, Swan. Your lad is in the room. Let’s keep the kissing to a minimum in front of the boy, aye?”

 

She rolled her eyes, her head swaying gently. “You’re an idiot, Killian Jones.”

 

He bumped her shoulder lightly. “Aye, that I am.”

 

Laying her head back on his chest, her hands wrapped around her cup once more. “But you are my idiot. You always have been. And, for the record, I’d love for you to be a part of our lives. More than anything.”

 

He didn’t say anything else, just nodded his head as he pulled her tighter against him and for the first time in fourteen years that familiar feeling settled into her chest. 

 

The lost girl had found her home once more.

 

And this time, she wasn’t going to let anyone take it from her. 

  
**The End.**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review if you feel up to it!


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